January 20, 2020
Enhancing Economic Development in East Texas
ETCOG is here to support its members through two primary objectives: to provide a forum for local elected officials to solve common problems, and to be a solutions provider for our members. On Friday, January 24th, ETCOG leaders met with the Texas City Managers Association, Region 5, for its annual meeting to share how we are here to enhance economic development in East Texas and offer regional assistance to our members. ETCOG's Executive Director, David Cleveland, and Director of Workforce and Economic Development, Doug Shryock, spoke to the group on the program we administer to do so, the East Texas Economic Development District.
What is the East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD)?
Economic Development Districts (EDDs) are designated by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help lead the locally-based, regionally driven economic development planning process that leverages the involvement of the public, private and non-profit sectors to establish a strategic blueprint (i.e., an economic development roadmap) for regional collaboration.
ETCOG receives a three-year planning grant from the EDA, and with those funds we undertake several activities in the East Texas region through the East Texas Economic Development District Board.
How is the ETEDD set up?
The ETEDD is aligned with ETCOG’s 14 county region. There are two board members from each county; One appointment by the county judge and one appointed by the ETCOG Executive Committee representative from each county. The Board has four primary functions:
- Serve as a regional forum to solve common economic development issues
- To identify and resolve economic development and competitive issues facing the region
- Roundtable discussion on regional projects and barrier resolution
- To maintain an updated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region
What are the services provided?
- Grant Research
- Grant Writing
- Grant Acquisition for Economic Development Projects
- Post Grant Administration
- Strategic Planning
- Redeveloping Brownfield Sites
- Prospect Support and Advice
- Incubator Grant (Business Park)
- Upgrading Infrastructure to Attract New Industry
- Technical Support Services
- Needs Analysis
- Economic Studies
- Site Visits
Need assistance? Contact the ETEDD
Visit our new website to find out about Opportunity Zones, CEDS, Grant Services, County Profiles, and more!
www.etedd.org
ETCOG/ETEDD and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grant writing workshop in Tyler, TX, August 27-28, 2026. This training is for grant seekers from all disciplines. Attend this class to learn how to write winning government grant proposals and find the available grant funding. Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county, state agencies, K-12, colleges & universities and nonprofits are encouraged to attend. Registration is $525 and includes everything you need: Grant Writing USA Workbook Two days of expert instruction Lifetime access to Grant Writing USA Alumni Resource Center Grant Writing USA is offering ETCOG members a $50 discount. Please use the discount code "less50" at the time of registration. When: August 27 - 28 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Where: 1421 S Beckham Ave, Tyler, TX 75701 For event details visit: https://grantstraining.com/ty0826
ETCOG will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. during its Executive Committee meeting at 3800 Stone Road, Kilgore, Texas. The purpose of the hearing is to gather public input on the Texas Community Development Block Grant ( TxCDBG ) Program Regional Project Priority Types for the East Texas region. As part of the standard TxCDBG process, each Council of Governments region in Texas is encouraged to identify the project types that best reflect regional needs and priorities. During the hearing, ETCOG’s Executive Committee will receive comments from local officials, stakeholders, and members of the public regarding which eligible project categories should be prioritized for East Texas. These priorities may include needs such as water and sewer infrastructure, street improvements, housing, and other eligible community development activities. Regional project priority types play an important role in the TxCDBG application process. The priorities adopted by ETCOG will be submitted to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), which administers the TxCDBG program, for use in the upcoming funding cycle. Regional priorities account for a portion of the scoring used to evaluate grant applications. ETCOG encourages anyone with an interest in community development needs across East Texas to attend the hearing and provide input during the public comment period.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development launched a new Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool, which has been integrated into Rural Development’s Eligibility site. This site now directs users to an eligibility mapping tool for the following programs: Community Facilities Electric OneRD Guarantee Rural Business and Cooperative Services Water and Environmental Programs The Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool enables user flexibility in determining programmatic eligibility based on their location across multiple programs simultaneously. USDA Income and Property Eligibility Site: https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do USDA Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool (direct link): https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3c2f6c9581bb4f06a4ab68df8f34b0be This consolidated view of eligibility represents a significant modernization in how Rural Development assesses and communicates program eligibility. By centralizing eligibility checks, utilizing current geospatial technology and adhering to modern data governance standards, the tool significantly reduces staff workload and improves engagement with rural communities. This initiative supports Rural Development’s mission to provide efficient, transparent and accessible services while ensuring compliance with federal requirements and maintaining consistency with existing eligibility data sources.
